Jean Baptiste Du Halde (1674-1743).
Description Géographique, Historique, Chronologique, Politique et Physique de l'Empire de la Chine et de la Tartarie Chinoisie. Paris: P.G. Le Mercier, 1735.
First edition of an ‘encyclopedic survey of China’(Lust). It is monumental in size and scope and provided an extensive and authentic account of China for the West. Its influence was profound, further disseminated via works such as Diderot’s Encyclopedie. Du Halde covers all aspects of Chinese achievements — in literature, science, medicine art, and philosophy — and details geography, economy, government, religion, customs, natural history; it is one of the earliest European sources on Chinese porcelain. As editor of Jesuit missionary reports sent back from China, Du Halde had available first-hand information, and he was assisted by fellow Jesuit Cyr Contancin as corrector, newly returned from 32 years there. It includes the text of a traditional Chinese play, ‘The Orphan of Zhao’, translated by Prémare, on which Voltaire based his own ‘L’Orphelin de la Chine’ (1753). 43 maps and plans are based on a survey of China commissioned by the Kangzi emperor between 1708 and 1717 and drawn by d’Anville. The map in vol. IV illustrating Bering’s 1728 voyage through the eponymous straits is the first printed map of present Alaska (S.I. Schwarz and R.E. Ehrenberg, The Mapping of America, p.151). Brunet II, 870; Cordier Sinica I, 45-48 (calling for 4, not 5, plates in volume III); Lust, Western Books on China 12; Reed and Dematté, China on Paper, 2007, no. 8.

4 volumes, folio (429 x 279mm). Half-titles, title-pages printed in red and black, engraved title vignettes by M. Baquoy after A. Humblot, 4 engraved head-pieces after Humblot, 53 engraved maps of which 23 folding, 17 double-page, and 3 with contemporary outline-colouring, 11 engraved plates, of which 9 double-page, and one of printed music by Delahaye, Desbrulins, and Fonbonne after Antoine Humblot, Lucas, Le Parmentier and others, text illustrations, engraved and woodcut initials, woodcut headpieces (titles and a few other leaves lightly browned, very occasional light spotting, neat tear in folding plate in vol. IV). Contemporary mottled calf gilt, armorial on front covers, marbled endpapers, red sprinkled edges (rebacked and finely gilt to style, mottling a bit worn, bookplate removed from front pastedowns).

unidentified coat-of-arms (binding).

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